5 minute read
Border exceptions
by AgriHQ
Relief for farmers
By Anne Boswell
Short-staffed dairy farmers can breathe a sigh of relief with the announcement the Government has approved border class exceptions for an additional 200 dairy workers.
The exceptions will allow up to 150 dairy farm workers in management roles and up to 50 workers in dairy assistant roles on-farm, along with their partners and dependent children.
Almost 50% of farmers surveyed by DairyNZ reported having vacancies on farm, with covid-19 border closures resulting in the crippling shortage of workers in the dairy industry.
“It is clear from conversations with the dairy sector that they are facing workforce pressures,” Minister for Agriculture Damien O’Connor says.
“These border exceptions will go a long way toward relieving those pressures.”
DairyNZ chief executive Dr Tim Mackle says the border exception is a step in the right direction.
“This is positive news for farmers who will be encouraged that the Government has heard our concerns and responded,” Mackle says.
“We will be ensuring farmers understand the details of the class exception to be able to make an informed decision.”
However, while the exception process will offer some farmers some respite for the coming season, the industry is still facing long-term labour challenges.
Despite the continuing efforts of DairyNZ and Federated Farmers to attract New Zealanders into dairy farming careers, including the relaunch of GoDairy, the need for overseas workers in some parts of the country remains.
O’Connor says with the new dairy season under way, migrant dairy farm workers will supplement the domestic workforce and provide critical support.
“The Government and food and fibre sectors have been working hard to mitigate worker shortages by training and upskilling New Zealanders, but we know it takes time,” O’Connor says.
“Dairy managers have specialist skills developed over many years, which we can’t replicate overnight.”
Federated Farmers spokesperson Chris Lewis says now the job of working through the details with DairyNZ, Immigration NZ and the Ministry for Primary Industries will begin, to see how the 200 spaces can be fairly allocated across the country.
In addition to dairy workers, the border exceptions also include 50 veterinarians, their partners and dependent children.
“Despite the previous border class exception for vets, our domestic vet skill shortage remains acute, including hardto-recruit roles in isolated rural practices,” O’Connor says.
“This new class exception will allow veterinarians to enter NZ if they have between 3-5 years’ experience and meet the remuneration threshold of $85,000 per year.”
O’Connor says dairy farm workers and vets play a key role in animal welfare, food safety and safeguarding NZ’s international reputation as a producer of safe and sustainable food.
“In making this decision, we’ve balanced the need to keep New Zealanders safe and ensure appropriate MIQ capacity, with seasonal and strategic skills shortages, and seasonal variations for overseas New Zealanders travelling home,” he says.
“These new border exceptions will help drive NZ’s economic recovery from covid-19.” n
Minister for Agriculture Damien O’Connor says the Government is allowing 200 dairy workers into the country to help ease the pressure on farmers.
$331k skills boost
By Samantha Tennent
Financial risk management skills are vital to prevent business failure while navigating uncertainty and the unknown.
Farmers cannot control the weather, commodity prices, shifts in consumers’ shopping habits or the changing regulatory landscape, but a new initiative has been designed to build business resilience.
The Agri-Women’s Development Trust (AWDT) has been allocated $331,000 from the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) to research, design and deliver the financial risk management training course. The pilot starts this month, with the programme being delivered in six locations.
“The aim of the course is to empower farmers and growers to understand the different types of risks facing their business, and give them the skills to develop plans to manage the financial and personal implications of those risks,”
AWDT’s general manager Lisa Sims says.
Up to 130 people are expected to take part in the Resilient Farming Business course during its pilot with sheep, beef, dairy, arable and horticulture businesses in Hawke’s Bay, Manawatū, Canterbury,
Otago and Southland.
The financial support from MPI allows farmers to attend the programme for free.
“The primary sector is the backbone of our economy and it’s vital we ensure farmers and growers are equipped to withstand challenges facing the sector,”
MPI’s director of Rural Communities and
Farming Support Nick Story says.
“This course will give them the skills, tools and confidence to help make their agribusinesses more financially resilient.
Farmers and growers can’t control the weather, commodity prices or shifts in consumers’ shopping habits, but they can plan and prepare for change.”
The pilot programme consists of two face-to-face full-day modules, one month apart. It also includes self-directed premodule and intermodule work, to help participants get the most out of the programme.
It is aimed at farming and growing business owners and managers with financial responsibility for a business or business unit, with an existing budget and the ability to create and monitor a budget. Attendees must also have the ability to read financial accounts, including a balance sheet and profit and loss statement.
Funding for the programme is part of a $1.15 million commitment in the 202021 financial year to reduce the risk of primary producers getting into financial strife.
MPI has earmarked $500,000 a year for three years to help enhance financial literacy and risk management skills, and a further $100,000 has also been allocated to the Farm Business Advice Support Fund to provide farmers with independent advice to help tackle farm debt.
“This fund is managed by the Rural Support Trust national council and has already been accessed by more than 40 businesses. It’s believed the support has prevented farmers from defaulting on loans and requiring the services of the Farm Debt Mediation Scheme,” Story says.
The Farm Debt Mediation Scheme was launched in July 2020 and has an annual budget of $550,000 to help farmers and growers work through debt issues with their lenders.
“There have been 42 requests for mediation services through the scheme. Importantly, it has encouraged lenders to engage in conversations with at-risk clients earlier, avoiding the need for mediation,” he says.
Farmers and growers can request mediation at any time and hardship funding is available through MPI. n
The Agri-Women’s Development Trust has been given a financial boost to deliver a course aimed at giving farmers the skills to be more financially resilient.
Nick Story
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Details of the pilot locations and information can be found at awdt.org. nz/programmes/our-resilient-farmingbusiness/
